Integrally molded card edge cable termination assembly, contact, machine and method

Abstract

A card edge connector (10) includes electrical contacts (15) for engaging traces of a printed circuit card to establish electrical connection therewith, a housing (16) for supporting the contacts, a strain relief (17) directly molded to at least part of the contacts and housing for securing the same as an integral structure, the contacts having a compliance characteristic in the card edge connector, and a secondary compliance mechanism (95) for increasing the effective compliance characteristic of the contacts in the card edge connector. Such secondary compliance mechanism is provided by a shrinkage of some of the molded strain relief material during cooling thereof. The contacts and housing provide part of a shut of function and a shut off key (56) inserted into the housing for use during the molding provides another part of a shut off function to block flow of molding material into a contacting area of the housing (27). The invention also relates to a method for making a card edge connector and a machine for making a card edge connector.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are, as follows: 
     
       1. A card edge connector, comprising: at least one electrical contact having contacting means for engaging with a printed circuit card to establish electrical connection with conductive means thereon, support means for supporting said contacting means, and a connecting means for connecting said electrical contact with another conductive member;   housing means for supporting said electrical contact with respect thereto; and   strain relief means directly molded to at least part of said electrical contact and said housing means for securing the same as an integral structure;   said electrical contact having a compliance characteristic in the card edge connector; and   said strain relief means including therein secondary compliance means spaced from a part of said support means of said contact for permitting limited movement of said part of said support means within a region of confinement formed between said housing and said strain relief means to increase the effective compliance characteristic of said electrical contact in the card edge connector.   
     
     
       2. The connector of claim 1, said housing means further comprising stabilizing means for stabilizing said electrical contacts during molding of said strain relief means. 
     
     
       3. The connector of claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical contact comprises a plurality of electrical contacts arranged in a pair of parallel rows in paired wiping relation to wipe against surfaces of a printed circuit card inserted into the connector, and wherein said housing means includes entrance means for receiving a portion of a printed circuit card for connection with respective electrical contacts. 
     
     
       4. A cable termination assembly, comprising the connector of claim 3, and further comprising a multiconductor electrical cable, said connecting means of respective electrical contacts connecting with respective conductors of said cable and forming electrical junctions therebetween, and wherein said strain relief means is directly molded to at least part of said cable, electrical contacts, junctions, and housing means. 
     
     
       5. A cable termination assembly, comprising the connector of claim 1, and further comprising an electrical cable having at least one conductor, said connecting means of said at least one electrical contact and said at least one conductor of said cable forming an electrical junction therebetween, and wherein said strain relief means is directly molded to at least part of said cable, at least one electrical contact, junction, and housing means. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of claim 5, said at least one electrical contact comprising plural electrical contacts, said electrical cable comprising a multiconductor electrical cable, said contacts forming respective junctions with respective conductors of said electrical cable, and wherein said strain relief means is directly molded to at least part of said cable, electrical contacts, junctions, and housing means to form an integral structure thereof. 
     
     
       7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein said strain relief means is molded to form a substantially hermetic seal about said junctions. 
     
     
       8. A card edge connector, comprising: at least one electrical contact having contacting means for engaging with a printed circuit card to establish electrical connection with conductive means thereon, support means for supporting said contacting means, and a connecting means for connecting said electrical contact with another conductive member;   housing means for supporting said electrical contact with respect thereto; and   strain relief means directly molded to at least part of said electrical contact and said housing means for securing the same as an integral structure;   said electrical contact having a compliance characteristic in the card edge connector;   said connector further comprising secondary compliance means for increasing the effective compliance characteristic of said electrical contact in the card edge connector; and   said secondary compliance means comprising a portion of said strain relief means that undergoes shrinkage after molding of said strain relief means.   
     
     
       9. A card edge connector, comprising: at least one electrical contact having contacting means for engaging with a printed circuit card to establish electrical connection with conductive means thereon, support means for supporting said contacting means, and a connecting means for connecting said electrical contact with another conductive member;   housing means for supporting said electrical contact with respect thereto; and   strain relief means directly molded to at least part of said electrical contact and said housing means for securing the same as an integral structure;   said electrical contact having a compliance characteristic in the card edge connector;   said connector further comprising secondary compliance means for increasing the effective compliance characteristic of said electrical contact in the card edge connector;   said strain relief means being formed of a material that undergoes shrinkage upon cooling after molding; and   said secondary compliance means comprising a portion of said strain relief means that has cooled and shrunk at an area thereof partly away from part of said electrical contact to facilitate limited sliding and/or bending of the electrical contact at such area.   
     
     
       10. A card edge connector, comprising: at least one electrical contact having contacting means for engaging with a printed circuit card to establish electrical connection with conductive means thereon, support means for supporting said contacting means, and a connecting means for connection said electrical contact with another conductive member;   housing means for supporting said electrical contact with respect thereto; and   strain relief means directly molded to at least part of said electrical contact and said housing means for securing the same as an integral structure;   said electrical contact having a compliance characteristic in the card edge connector;   said connector further comprising secondary compliance means for increasing the effective compliance characteristic of said electrical contact in the card edge connector;   said support means including a bend area in said electrical contact between said contacting means and said connection means;   said housing means including ledge means for cooperating with at least part of said bend area to support said electrical contact with respect to said housing means, and   said secondary compliance means comprising at least part of said strain relief means that generally holds said electrical contact in place in the area of said ledge means with some freedom to bend and/or to slide during deflection of at least part of said electrical contact.   
     
     
       11. The connector of claim 10, said ledge means terminating in a stop and said bend area including surface means for cooperating with said step to limit insertion of distance of said electrical contact into said housing means. 
     
     
       12. A card edge connector, comprising: plural electrical contacts each having contacting means for engaging with a printed circuit card to establish electrical connection with conductive means thereon, support means for supporting said contacting means, and a connecting means for connecting said electrical contact with another conductive member;   housing means for supporting said electrical contacts with respect thereto, and   strain relief means directly molded to at least part of each one of said plural electrical contacts and said housing means for securing the same as an integral structure;   said electrical contacts having a compliance characteristic in the card edge connector;   said housing means having a contacting area where contacting portions of said electrical contacts are positioned to make electrical connections with respective conductive means of a printed circuit card; and   said electrical contacts and housing means having respective cooperative surface means for cooperating with each other for at least partly shutting off said contacting area to prevent molding material of said strain relief means from entering said contacting area during molding thereof.   
     
     
       13. The connector of claim 12, said housing means further comprising opening means for receiving and temporarily containing shut off key means for completing the shutting off of said contacting area. 
     
     
       14. A card edge connector, comprising: at least one electrical contact having contacting means for engaging with a printed circuit card to establish electrical connection with conductive means thereon, support means for supporting said contacting means, and a connecting means for connecting said electrical contact with another conductive member;   housing means for supporting said electrical contact with respect thereto; and   strain relief means directly molded to at least part of said electrical contact and said housing means for securing the same as an integral structure;   said electrical contact having a compliance characterisitc in the card edge connector;   said connector further comprising secondary compliance means for increasing the effective compliance characteristic of said electrical contact in the card edge connector; and   said housing means comprising tab means for knitting with said strain relief means during molding thereof.   
     
     
       15. A card edge connector, comprising: plural electrical contacts each having contacting means for engaging with a printed circuit card to establish electrical connection with conductive means thereon, support means for supporting said contacting means, and a connecting means for connecting said electrical contact with another conductive member;   housing means for supporting said electrical contact with respect thereto; and   strain relief means directly molded to at least part of each one of said plural electrical contacts and said housing means for securing the same as an integral structure;   said electrical contacts having a compliance characteristic in the card edge connector;   said connector further comprising secondary compliance means for increasing the effective compliance characterisitc of said electrical contacts in the card edge connector;   said housing means further comprising stabilizing means for stabilizing said electrical contacts during molding of said strain relief means; and   said stabilizing means comprising slot means for receiving in relatively close fitting relation at least a part of respective electrical contacts and wall means opposite said slot means for urging said part of respective electrical contacts into said slot means.   
     
     
       16. The connector of claim 15, said housing means further comprising generally upstanding tab means for knitting with said strain relief means during molding thereof and said wall means comprising a wall of said tab means. 
     
     
       17. A method for making a card edge connector, comprising: initially supporting at least one electrical contact in a housing while placing a contacting portion of such electrical contact in a contacting area of such housing,   directly molding a strain relief to at least part of such electrical contact and at least part of such housing,   using at least part of such electrical contact and at least part of such housing to cooperate at least partly to shut off such contacting area during said molding to block flow of molding material into such contacting area, and   inserting a shut off key into such housing to cooperate with at least one of a part of such housing and a part of such electrical contact to complete shutting off of such contacting area.   
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, said initially supporting comprising inserting such electrical contact into such housing. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 17, said initially supporting comprising inserting a plurality of electrical contacts into at least part of such housing. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, wherein such electrical contact has a connecting portion for connecting with an external member, and further comprising forming electrical junctions between respective connecting portions and such external member. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 19, wherein such external member is a multiconductor electrical cable, and said forming comprising forming insulation displacement connection junctions between respective electrical contacts and conductors of such cable. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein said molding comprises directly molding the strain relief to at least part of such cable, electrical contacts, junctions thereof, and housing. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22, wherein such electrical contacts have a compliance characterisitc in such housing, and said molding comprising providing a secondary compliance contributor for such electrical contacts to increase the compliance characteristics thereof. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, said providing a secondary compliance contributor comprising allowing at least some of the material molded as such strain relief to shrink during cooling thereof. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 17, wherein such electrical contact has a compliance characteristic in such housing, and said molding comprising providing a secondary compliance contributor for such electrical contact to increase the compliance characteristics thereof. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25, said providing a secondary compliance contributor comprising allowing at least some of the material molded such as strain relief to shrink during cooling thereof. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 17, further comprising removing such shut off key to open a contacting area of such housing to permit insertion into such contacting area of a portion of a printed circuit board for electrical connection with such electrical contact. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 17, further comprising placing such housing into a mold, supporting such housing in the mold, closing such mold to define a mold cavity with at least part of such housing, and inputting molding material into such mold cavity to form such strain relief. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 17, wherein each electrical contact has a connecting portion for connecting with a respective conductor of an electrical cable, and further comprising forming an insulation displacement connection junction between said electrical contact and respective conductor of such cable. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 29, wherein such mold includes a movable portion and a relatively fixed portion, and said forming insulation displacement connection junctions comprising moving such movable mold portion toward such relatively fixed mold portion to close said mold cavity. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 28, further comprising supporting such shut off key by a part of the mold independently of such housing during such molding. 
     
     
       32. A method for making a card edge connector, comprising: initially supporting at least one electrical contact in a housing while placing a contacting portion of such electrical contact in a contacting area of such housing,   directly molding a strain relief to at least part of such electrical contact and at least part of such housing,   using at least part of such electrical contact and at least part of such housing to cooperate at least partly to shut off such contacting area during said molding to block flow of molding of molding material into such contacting area, and   such electrical contact having a compliance characteristic in such housing, and said molding comprising permitting at least part of the molding material to shrink during cooling to provide a secondary compliance contributor for such electrical contact.   
     
     
       33. The method of claim 32, further comprising inserting a shut off key into such housing to cooperate with at least a part of such housing and/or at least part of such electrical contact to complete shutting off of such contacting area. 
     
     
       34. The method of claim 33, further comprising removing such shut off key to open a contacting area of such housing to permit insertion thereinto of a portion of a printed circuit board for electrical connection with such electrical contact. 
     
     
       35. The method of claim 32, said initially supporting comprising inserting a plurality of electrical contacts into at least part of such housing. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 32, wherein each electrical contact has a connecting portion for connecting with a respective conductor of an electrical cable, and further comprising forming an insulation displacement connection junction between said electrical contact and respective conductor of such cable. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 36, wherein said molding comprises directly molding the strain relief to at least part of such cable, electrical contacts, junctions thereof, and housing. 
     
     
       38. The method of claim 32, further comprising placing such housing into a mold, supporting such housing in the mold, closing such mold to define a mold cavity with at least part of such housing, and inputting molding material into such mold cavity to form such strain relief. 
     
     
       39. The method of claim 38, further comprising inserting a shut off key into such housing to cooperate with at least one of a part of such housing and a part of such electrical contact to complete shutting off of such contacting area. 
     
     
       40. The method of claim 39, wherein each electrical contact has a connecting portion for connecting with a respective conductor of an electrical cable, and further comprising forming an insulation displacement connection junction between said electrical contact and respective conductor of such cable. 
     
     
       41. The method of claim 40, wherein such mold includes a movable portion and a relatively fixed portion, and said forming insulation displacement connection junctions comprising moving such movable mold portion toward such relatively fixed mold portion to close the mold cavity. 
     
     
       42. The method of claim 39, further comprising supporting such shut off key by a part of the mold independently of such housing during such molding. 
     
     
       43. A molding machine for molding a card edge connector, comprising: first mold means for supporting therein a pre-molded connector housing, such housing including a front end, a back end, an interior chamber between such ends, such housing including means for receiving and supporting at least one electrical contact therein and having a contacting area where such electrical contact is connectable with an external member relatively inserted for engagement therewith,   second mold means cooperative with said first mold means for at least partly defining a mold cavity,   conveying means for conveying molding material to said mold cavity to mold a strain relief to at least part of such housing and at least one electrical contact,   said mold cavity being closed in part by at least part of such electrical contact and at least part of a shut off function to block flow of molding material into such contacting area, and said mold cavity further being closed in part by a shut off key positioned in such housing also to block flow of molding material from such contacting area, and   core means in said first mold means for supporting such shut off key during molding.   
     
     
       44. The machine of claim 43, said core means further comprising ejecting means for ejecting such housing after molding of such strain relief. 
     
     
       45. The machine of claim 43, said core means further comprising means for supporting at least part of such housing during molding. 
     
     
       46. The machine of claim 43, such at least one electrical contact comprising plural electrical contacts, and said core means further comprising positioning means for determining position of such electrical contacts during molding. 
     
     
       47. The machine of claim 43, wherein such card edge connector is a cable termination assembly including a multiconductor electrical cable and such electrical contacts include insulation displacement portions, and further comprising means for pressing such cable and electrical contacts toward each other to form insulation displacement junctions between the same.